DJI Announces Mavic 3 Drone with Advanced Cine features that will help users capture stunning 5.1K video. Credited with putting “Imaging Above Everything,” the Mavic 3 features a dual-camera setup that includes a massive 20MP 4/3″ Hasselblad sensor capable of shooting up to 5.1K video, as well as a 12MP tele lens that shoots 4K video and offers up to 4x digital zoom. Those impressive camera stats, combined with an overabundance of flight features and modes, hint that DJI’s newest flagship might just be the greatest prosumer drone ever made.
Key Features
- 3-Axis Gimbal with Dual Cameras
- 20MP 5.1K Wide-Angle 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad
- 12MP Telephoto with 28x Hybrid Zoom
- Up to 46 Minutes of Flight Time
- Up to 9.3-Mile Transmission Range
- 360° Obstacle Avoidance System
- 10-Bit D-Log Color Profile & HNCS
- 1080p60 Live View Video Stream
- 8GB of Storage Space
- RC-N1 OcuSync 2.0 Remote Included
Like its predecessor, the Mavic 2, the new Mavic 3 comes in two different flavors: a base model and a “Cine” version. However, unlike the Mavic 2, which made users choose between two distinct models, the differences between the Mavic 3 variants aren’t near as dramatic—no flight FOMO here. In fact, the only conspicuous distinctions between the two models are that the Cine supports an additional video format, Apple ProRes 422 HQ, and comes with 1TB of internal storage, versus the base model’s 8GB.
Although the Mavic 3 boasts some of the most impressive performance specs we’ve ever seen in a consumer flyer, there’s no question its most eye-catching feature is the camera. Sorry, make that cameras—plural. The Mavic 3 is the first Mavic drone to feature not one, but two cameras. The primary shooter is a 20MP 4/3″ Hasselblad sensor, with an adjustable aperture and the ability to capture video up to 5.1K/50 fps. The secondary camera is a 12MP telephoto that shoots in 4K/30 fps and supports up to 4x digital zoom and 28x “hybrid” zoom.
Now, the fact that the Mavic 3 features two cameras instead of one is a big bombshell. However, what really has us excited is the size of the Mavic 3’s primary sensor. In 2018, when the Mavic 2 Pro was released, we were impressed with the footage we captured using its 1″ CMOS sensor. The Mavic 3’s 4/3″ CMOS is bigger and presumably better—a prospect that has us dying to test it.
Along with the new camera setup, the Mavic 3 also features several software and design enhancements that boost its performance capabilities across the board. Included in those enhancements is the Mavic 3’s omnidirectional sensor array, which allows the Mavic 3 to better see its environment and ensure a collision- and crash-free flight—even in environments with lots of obstacles.
Speaking of improved vision: the Mavic 3 is the first DJI drone to ever feature a 1080p/60 fps live feed—meaning what you see on your display is nearly identical to what the Mavic 3 records in real time.
The Mavic 3’s long list of flagship-worthy features doesn’t stop with its camera or vision sensor array. Additional standout features, such as an extended 46-minute flight time and nearly 10-mile video transmission range, all but guarantee the Mavic 3 will soon take over as the world’s preeminent RC plane.
